bittle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. P. BITTLE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 398,693. Patepted Feb. 26, 1889.

(No Model.) 9 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. P. BITTLE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

No. 398,693. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

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nrrnn ATES ATENT FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,693, dated February26, 1889.

Application filed October 23, 1888.

T aZZ whom, it Hwy concern.-

.Be it ki'iownthatl, .laMirls F. HIHLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Littles- 1 town, in the county of Adams and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding Chairs; and

. I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the same, reference bein had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in foldingchairs of that class designed to be converted into a reclining chair orcouch; and it has for its object to coni struct a chair of this kindwhich shall be strong and durable, easily converted from one kind ofchair to the other, and which will be C01ll fortable to the occupant ineither position.

The novelty in the present instance resides in the peculiarities ofconstruction and the combinations, arrangement, and adaptation of parts,all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and thenmrticularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form apart of thisspecification, and in which Figure l is a perspective view of a deviceembodying my improvements extended to form a couch. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of the same closed, forming an arm-chair.Fig. 3 a vertical section through the line .90 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 isa perspective view of one of the locking-cams detached.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A. designatesthe frame of the chair, composed of the legs a, cross-bars A, and bracesa, connectedtogether in any wellknown manner. The in nor faces of thecrossbars of this frame are provided with the tongues or ribs b, whichwork in the channels 5' on the inner faces of the longitudinal bars B ofthe extension 1;, the inner faces of which are in turn provided withsimilar ribs, 0, 1 which in turn work in the channels 1: of the 1extension C, both of said extensionsbeing provided with suitable legs,as shown, and form- $erial No. 288,903. (No model.)

ing the support for the upholstered part of the device when extended, asshown in. Fig. 1. \Vhcn closed, the parts slide one within the l other,as shown in Fig. 3, and. are locked in i this position by means of asuitable catch, (I, l pivoted to the front brace of the frame A andextended over the front cross-braces of the two extensions, as shown inFig. 2. The rear ends of the longitudinal. bars of the extensions areconnected by suitable cross-bars, as c, Fig. 3, and the legs of saidextensions are connected by suitable bars or rungs, f.

On top of the frame A is secured an upholstered seat, D, the front endof which sets back a little from the front edge of the legs of theframe, as shown in Fig. 2, leaving a space, g, at the front thereof fortwo purposes-tirst, so that when the second portion of the seat isextended it may find a firm support at its inner end on the tops of thefront legs, as shown in Fig. 1, and, second, so that when the device isclosed, as shown in Fig. 2, the downward extension 71 of the thirdsection of the seat may find a support on said legs, and also cover thejoint between the several sections, as shown in Fig. 2.

As above stated, the seatD is secured to the top of the frame A, and tothe front edge of this seat is hingedwhat 1 term the second sect-ion, E,of the seat, and to this in turn is hinged the third section, F, whichis provided at its front end with the downward extension h. Thesesections are so hinged that they may be readily extended into theposition shown in Fig. l, or folded into the position shown in Fig. 2.

In order to lock the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, I pivot tothe frame or to the side of the seat a lever, G, as at i, the hooked endof which is adapted to engage a pin, j, on the side of the top section,F, of the seat, and thus hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2,and on the other side of the device I pivot a similar lever, H, thehooked end of which is adapted to engage a pin, 7:, on the i secondsection of the seat, thus keeping all the parts from moving on eachother.

I is the back of the chair, which may be upholstered in any suitablefashion. This back i is pivoted at l to the upper ends of the rear legsof the frame, and at its rear face is provided with the notches on, forapurpose hereinafter described.

J are the arms, pivoted at n to the side bars of the back and shaped tosuit the taste of the maker. 7

Secured to the sides of the frame are the brackets K, provided with thelongitudinal slots 0, in which work the heads 1) of the bolts L, whichbolts pass through the outer ends of the armsof the chair and havesecured to their outer ends the levers M, the said bolts also serving tosecure to the outer faces of said arms the double eccentrics or cams N.(Shown enlarged in Fig. 4.) In use the levers are turned to loosen theengagement between the bolt-heads and the walls of the slots in thebrackets and the back of the chair adjusted ally connected to theseuprights between their ends are the horizontal bars Q, the'other ends ofwhich are pivotally secured, as at r, in recesses s in the front ends ofthe arms of the This forms a strong brace eh air, as shown.

for the back, and by means of the connections shown the said braces mustnecessarily move back and forth with the arms, so as to always be inposition to engage the notch es m in either of the two positions shown.This is important.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. The combination, with the pivoted back andthe frame, of the arms pivoted at their rear ends to said back and attheir front ends slidingly engaging the frame of the chair, and thebrace pivoted at its lower end to the leg and pivotally connectedbetween its ends to the arms and engaging said back to support the same,substantially as described. 7

2. The COlllblllEli'iOll, with the frame and the back pivoted thereto,of the arms pivoted at their rear ends to said back and at their frontends slidingly engaging said frame, the uprights pivoted to the legs ofthe frame and connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar engaging saidback, and the horizontal bars pivotally connected with said'uprights andpivotally connected with and moving with said arms, substantially asshown and described. V

In testimony that I claim the above'l have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. BITTLE. \Vitnesses:

CHAS. II. RLFFEL, OSCAR H. HARNER.

